Child&#39;s airplane vehicle



Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,361

G. B. LOWDEN CHILDS AIRPLANE VEHICLE Filed Aug.. 27 1923 Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES GEORGE B. LOWDEN, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CHILDS AIRPLANE VEHICLE.

Application led August 27, 1923.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GrnoncnV B. LowDnN, a subject of the King of Yugoslavia, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Childrens Airplane Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in childrens vehicles of the type which are propelled by pushing with the feet against the ground.

An object of the invention is to provide a childs vehicle of the character described which simulates an airplane, is simply constructed, inexpensive, compact, strong and durable, which will have considerable stability and is capable of being easily steered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a childs vehicle of the character described which is of novel construction and arrangement, the special parts and elements being easy to construct and assemble and providing` maximum strength and stability and at the same time causing the vehicle to closely simulate an airplane.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the' advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a vehicle constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, the vehicle is made up of a body portion 1, which simulates the fuselage of an airplane and a steering portion 2 which simulates the wings and forward part of the fuselage of an airplane. The body portion 1 is made up of upper and lower pairs of spaced bars 3 and 4. These bars are joined by posts view of the Serial No. 659,558.

5, 6, 7 and 8, which posts extend between the pairs of bars and between the bars of each pair, and are secured in place by fastening elements 9 driven through the bars into the posts. The post 7 which is disposed intermediate of the ends of the body poi tion but nearer to the rear end, extends below the plane of the lower pair of bars 4l and has a wheel 10 mounted thereon, which wheel is preferably in the form of a circular disk. At the rear end of the upper pair of bars there is mounted a structure 11 which simulates the horizontal and vertical rudders of an airplane and which also may serve as a seat. Mounted on the upper end of the post 7 and extending over the upper edges of the bars 3 is a seat 1Q. A similar seat 13 is mounted on the upper end of the post 6 and rests on the upper edges of the bars 3. These seats are spaced from one another and located between the ends of the body portions 1 in a position which will provide for an effective balance in orw der that. two or more children may ride on the vehicle at the same time. 'Ihis structure, while narrow and consisting of but few parts, is compact, strong and durable.

The steering portion of the vehicle 2 comprises essentially an upright body plate 14 which in this instance, is of substantially hour glass shape and made of wood. The entire device is preferably made of wood` although other material may be used. This upright body plate 14 at its lower end car ries a horizontal aXle 15 projecting from opposite sides thereof, on which axle wheels 16 are mounted.` The plate is suiiiciently wide at its lower end to provide for disposing of the wheels far enough apart and with respect to the wheel 10, to provide adequate stability. The plate is provided with a vertical slot 17 extending from the upper edge downwardly to a point near its lower edge. In this slot is mounted a post 18 of rectilinear cross section and which post is of less width than the width of the slot.` Extending between the posts and the sides 0f the slot are upper and lower pairs of bars 19 and 20. The bars of each pair are disposed in spaced parallel relation to the upper and lower extremities of the slot, the lower bars resting on the bottom of the slotand the upper bars terminating flush with the upper edge of the slot. Spacing strips 21 are mounted on opposite sides of the post 18 and fill the space between opposite sides of said post and the opposed walls of the slet,the ends of said stips 'abutting theedges of the bars 19 and 20. Fastening elements 22 are driven, preferably.through` the narrow portion of the plate 14, and through the strips 21 and intothe post 1S so as to hold these parts assembled.

The pairs of bars,.1.9`aiitlf 204 engage in the plate 14 at pointsintermediate ot the ends of the bars but nearer' to the rear ends thereof and at the rear ends ot' saidbars thereare `providedy bearing blocks 23 which are mounted: between the bars of each pair andare adapted toybe engaged by the ends ofthe'. postf of the body portion 1. Pivots 24V are: inserted through the b'loclrs 23 and into lthe ends of thefpost 5 so aste provide anVV axis''orvturning` the steering portion 2 relatiyefto .the body portion 1.

-Attaehed'l'tothe bars 19 and 2O are upper and lower wing structures 25 and 26, each ofV which' comprises" three spaced parallel bars 27 secured' centrally' of their ends by fastening elements-28, to the barsl-Q and 2O and'extending laterally on opposite sides `ot said'bars '19: and" 20: Cross pieces 29I are seeuredfto .theouter ends of said'bars 27 andthev wing structures are thus provided in rthe "nature ot substantially rectangular skeleton frames'. i T-he'strips 29l are placed,

' oneia'cross'eachend ot' the upper and lower planes ayolrthe under sides thereot'and the bars 27 `formingl the 'planes are secured to saidv strips' byxsuitable fastening elements shownaiirFig2; The wings may be readily grasped in the steering and handling` ofthe Vehicle,1thelbars 27`providing effective grips. The center of the three bars 270i the upper wing strnctureextends along and engages the upper edge yof theiplate'lll. Thecorresponding barA lof `the .lower wing structure is providedwithl a* recess 30 in which the plate 14 engages.` Due toy these arrangements ot thevbarstihe' wingstructure is made strong and' durable and given 4considerable stability so thatpressure on either side will vnot be likely 1to cause-the vehicle to up-set ortilt.

-fAt the: :tron-tends ofthe lbars 19 and 2O there'is providedaf post'31 securedto and joiningrsaid bars, and attached` to the post is" a propeller 32arrangedl so'l that it will be turned' when the vehicle ismoved forwardlyn @ne et the` importan-t features of the invention isxtlie construction and arrangement kot ,ther plate 14: `and otheri associated parts. w

Through employment of this arrangement. the device may be made entirely of wood and ot but few parts and at the same time provide maximum strength, lightness as to weight, and stability. Children sitting on the seats 12 and 13, may use the bars of the lower wing structure as toot rests and the bars ot the uppery wing structure as grips in steering the vehicle. The open work wing construction facilitates the handling of the vehicle as a whole.

I claim:

1. A childs airplane vehicle comprising an elongated body portion of skeleton' construction, a wheel carried by the body portion intermediate of the ends thereof, a seat on the body portion, an upright body plate, wheels carried on opposite sides and at the lower end of the body plate.` said body plate iaving a slot extending from its upper end downwardly therein between the sides there oi.y bars extending through the slot in the plate adjacent the upper and lower extremities of the slot., one end of said body portion being disposed betweenv the inner ends oit'said'bars, means for pivotally con necting said end of the body portion with said bars, a post mounted in the slot and engaging said bars and transverse frames simulating wings mounted on the upper and lower bars and extending laterally on opposite sides thereof.

2. A childs airplane vehicle comprising an elongated body portion of skeleton construction, wheel carried by the body porr tion intermediate ot the ends thereof, a seat ou the body portion, an upright body plate` wheels carried on opposite sides and at the lower end oit the body plate. said body plate having a slot extending from its upper end downwardly therein between the i sides thereof. bars extending through the slot in the plate adjacent the upper and lower extremities of the slot, one end of said body portion being disposed between the inner ends o-t-'fsaid bars, means for pivotally con* neet/ingl ,said end of the body portion with said bars, a post mounted on the upper and lower bars and `trames simulating wings extend-ing` laterally on opposite sides thereof` said plate engaging said frames and being disposed substantially centrally of the frames.

Gronau B. Lownnu. 

